"Isabel Mary"

In my experience, when you already have a child (or children), subsequent pregnancies can be more about them than the impending baby. Thus, when Izzy did arrive, on Friday the thirteenth of January, 1995, it was almost a bit of a surprise. (Her mum would probably take issue with this statement!)

Even Isabel's name was partly due to her siblings. Charlie, then three and a half, was completely immersed in Christmas and the nativity and wanted Izzy to be called Mary, which became her middle name.

Apart from the obvious demands a baby makes, it took a little while for Izzy to make an impact on the family. I remember once we all got in the car to go out and realised we'd forgotten her. I ran back into the house and there she was, just in the hallway, in her car seat, pleasantly surprised by my sudden appearance.

She was a boisterous and lusty little baby, raring to go from when the sun came up. I can remember one morning, when she was first crawling. I think perhaps the clocks had just gone back and I found myself lying on the sofa at half-five in the morning while Izzy beetled about the room. Eventually, she got her hands into the ashes of the last of the previous winter's fires. "Don't do that, Iz" I attempted, weakly.

She was such a little force of nature that we ended up referring to her as "the beast", much to her Omi's chagrin. (This phrase is a bit offensive in Austrian I believe, rather like bitch.) One year, when I think Izzy was around four, my brother and I took the four girls on holiday to Cornwall. Izzy was sleeping in Wol's room and one evening he took her to task over her early rising and, specifically, waking him up. I thought he was a little firm with her to be honest but Izzy was characteristically - as it has become apparent over the years - unphased. The following morning Wol was woken by Izzy whispering in his ear "Wozzy, what's your favourite video? Mine's Prince of Egypt'. I think the whispering was her small concession to his request.

And around that time, we took her and the other girls to the Disney Store, and as soon as we arrived Izzy dashed behind a large cut-out of Buzz Lightyear to intone "I come in peace". This indefatigable sense of fun has remained one of Izzy's strongest characteristics, as her ability to drop into character and deliver an appropriate film quote in any situation.

But as she got older - and I'm still talking her early years here - this rambunctious tomboy became more like a little girl than a beast, more interested in her clothes and dolls and princesses and dressing up. And, later, displayed a more serious, more driven side to her. She surprised us all when she started playing hockey at county level, started taking school at face value and working as hard as she was told she needed to and also worked hard at the bassoon to fill a gap in the school orchestra, which she did ably. This year she is deputy head girl. As you can tell, I'm terribly proud of her.

Sunday was her eighteenth birthday. I know it's just numbers but these events are occasions and opportunities to stop and take stock. We had a family lunch - including, of course, birthday cake - and I sat back and watched Izzy amongst her siblings as they amused, irritated and entertained each other as they always do. I suppose in saying I'm proud of her, I imply that I feel I had something to do with the amazing young woman she's turned out to be but I'm a firm believer in nature over nurture.

So, here's to Izzy. Congratulations, many happy returns, sweetheart, and best wishes for the year ahead.